Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-15

Lincoln, after the attempt was made in
1876 to steal the body from the sarcophagus
under the Lincoln monument, in which it
was placed. The facts, as near as could be
ascertained by your correspondent, and
which will be brought to light tomorrow
in an address to be made by Clinton L..
Conkling, one of the Lincoln Guard of
Honor, are as follows:
THE ATTEMPTED ROBBERY.
On the night of November Z, 1876, Mul
Inns and Hughes, two Chicago thieves,
ma ie all unsuccessful attempt to steal the
body of the late President Lincoln The
marble sarcophagus in which it was in
closed, and which was exposed to the
view of visitors through an iron grating on
the north side of the monument, was
forced open and the coffin was taken out,
but at this point the robbers were inter-
fered with by certain persons secreted in
the monument, who had received informa-
ton that the robbery was to be attempted,
and abandoned their strange booty.
Since that time the public mind has been
in a state of uncertainty as to the IT al
resting-place of the martyrs body, a re-
port having gone out that it was not re-
turned to the sarcophagus after the
attempted robbery. All the mystery that
has attached to the matter is now cleared
away. 1t appears that the body was re-
placed in the sarcophagus and remained
there for about week. The members of
the Association, however, felt that it was
insecure, and it was subsequently re-
moved to place of greater safety.
Finally the Lincoln Guard of Honor,
which is composed of some of our best
known and most highly respected citizens,
was organized, and one of the duties of
this Association has been to
sAcREDLY GUARD THE BODY OF THE DEAD
PRESIDENT.
During the month of November, 1875,
members of the Guard, with their own
hands, prepared vault within the monu-
ment for the body. An excavation was
made in the earth about thirty feet south
of the sarcophagus, and the body was safely
deposited therein, and in month the ex-
cavaticn wss closed. The atmosphere at
the point where the excavation was made
was almost sitting, and the work was pros
eeuted at different times during the still
mes of night with no human eye to witness
it, save those who were assisting in the L.
Dor of love.
Two DAYS after the funeral of Mrs. Lin
coin, in July, 1882, her body was taken by
the guard and laid beside that of her hus-
the solemnity of an oath not to reveal
what had been done until the proper time
should arrive to do so, and that time has
now arrived.
BOTH BODIES PERMANENTLY ENToMBED.
Yesterday both of those bodies were
taken by the Lincoln Guard of Honor in
the presence of the Monument Association,
and placed in the new receptacle prepared
for them during the week. This receptacle
is in the earth near where the sarcophagus
has so long stood. 1t has bottom OF
twelve inches of cement, and has double
walls of brick. The entrance to it, now
that both bodies have been placed in their
final resting place. is cemented over, aud
this will in time become as solid as rock.
After this work had been completed the
bodies were formally turned over by the
Guard to the Monument Association, and
were accepted by it, Before being finally
entombed the body of Lincoln was opened
and identified. The hair and whiskers had
fallen off, and the face is very black. The
contour is, however, still perfect, and the
face is said to strongly resemble that of the
bronze statue on the monument"